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THIS PUBLICATION HAS BEEN AROUND FOR FOUR decades, but that doesn’t mean we want to live in the past. Nobody can. Isn’t it better to look forward with excited anticipation to what lies ahead for a proud and distinctive marque? We are talking about Jaguar, of course. Having come through from its origins into a 1966 merger with British Motor Corporation, sidetracked into British Leyland, made independent again, taken over by Ford then into the welcoming arms of Indian giant, Tata Motors in 2008, we were sure it had the future it so long hoped for. That is, independent, with strong financial backing, no interference and getting back to building Jaguars we lusted over. With heads bowed in concern, we have to admit the dream has turned into a nightmare again for Jaguar - and all of us as devotees of the endearing marque. While we look directly ahead in hope, if they don’t learn from past successes and failures they will continue to make mistakes. That is Jaguar in 2022/23. It is not merely the departure of yet another CEO, it goes much deeper than that unexpected announcement. Jaguar is totally in limbo. It has NO new models we know of. No not even a hint. It has been cast by the now former CEO Bolloré as a one-trick manufacturer of electric cars, when it is not certain that hydrogen or some other means of propulsion will dominate. The shortage of its micro-chips has been a disaster with the majority of those in JLR’s grasp being handed to golden-haired cousin, Land Rover. Jaguar's strongest selling models, the F and E-PACEs are now officially out of production. The four door XF and XE are not being produced either, and it is possible they may never go back into production. It has to be said that from where we sit the revolutionary and very fine
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01/02/03/04 Jaguar's home at Castle Bromwich on the edge of Birmingham - is currently closed! Le Mans 1990 and a very important image as Jaguar's new CEO Bill Hayden chats with outgoing CEO Sir John Egan. On the right in green is Jaguar PR Manager Joe Greenwell who would be a future CEO! Ian Callum loved to publicise Jaguar and ran in the Mille Miglia with D-Type owner Clive Beecham. Julian Thomson didn't get a chance to complete a new Jaguar design. EDITION 214 JAGUAR MAGAZINE
